The government has waded into the row over Heathrow Airport’s passenger capacity cap.
The Department for Transport and the CAA penned a joint letter to Heathrow boss executive John Holland-Kay calling for realistic plan to fix the airport’s critical staffing problems.
Holland-Kaye has a deadline of midday today to provide answers.
They seek assurances there are enough workers to handle its proposed 100,000 passenger cap and assist disabled passengers.
The airport must provide with a ‘credible and resilient capacity recovery plan for the next six months.’
“Airlines that use your airport must be assured, and be able to assure us, that you have in place a plan that can deliver a positive passenger experience through allowing as many people as possible to travel,” they wrote
“In particular avoid significant numbers of short-notice and on-the-day cancellations.”
“The Government and the CAA are concerned that current resourcing plans are not delivering this outcome.”
It comes as Emirates refused Heathrow’s demand to cut flights, and blasted the way the airport had handled the situation.
LHR’s demands are ‘entirely unreasonable and unacceptable’ Emirates said.
Heathrow has asked airlines to stop selling tickets for the peak season.
